A Traitor's Reward
by Supreme Distraction
Summary: “No, It was you who miscalculated! You should have feared me more!” If she hadn't been standing right next to Azula, Ty Lee would never have believed what she saw in the Fire Nation princess' golden eyes: Hurt.
1. Chapter 1

Alrighty, I've decided to try my hand at an A-tLA fic. Please review after you have read, all constructive criticism and such is welcomed. Please note that Azula, Ty Lee and Mai are -and will most likely always be in my fics- a bit older than they are in the show. Let's say that Azula and Ty Lee(a few months younger than Azula) are sixteen and Mai is seventeen. This is a sort of Alternative path after part two of _The Boiling Rock._ On with the show!

Disclaimer- I do not own Avatar- the Last Airbender, just this fic made for the entertainment of my readers and myself. Please do not post it anywhere without my consent.

_Thoughts_

_'Azula's inner voice'_

**--A Traitor's Reward--**

In all the time Ty Lee had known Azula, she had never seen the older girl so angry.

And that was something saying something; Firebenders were mean tempered and violent by nature

She had been furious every time the Avatar and his friends escaped her clutches and even more so when Zuko had made the decision to join him, -though she never said it aloud- but furious didn't even begin to cover her current state.

That was why the former circus performer knew something else was eating at the Fire Nation princess.

_/ "The thing I don't understand is: why? Why would you do it?"_

_Ty Lee glanced from one young woman to the other; one with black hair and an apathetic expression, the other with chocolate tresses arranged in a tip knot and an annoyed expression. She gulped._

_Mai looked us unaffected as ever,"I guess you don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you" _

_Ty Lee saw Azula's entire frame stiffen and knew the Firebender was going to attack. Tensing her own muscles, the girl prepared to strike while the young woman was occupied, fully intending to get the Hell out of here, Mai in tow._

"_No, It was you who miscalculated! You should have feared me more!"_

_If she hadn't been standing right next to Azula, Ty Lee would never have believed what she saw in the Fire Nation princess' golden eyes:_

_Hurt._

_That was why her original plan crumbled and, instead of aiding Mai, she found herself slipping between the twin threats of daggers and fire, striking the stoic teen in a dozen pressure points in her torso that made her crumple to the ground like a rag-doll; the actions too fast for even the hidden weapons expert to see, much less counter._

_Azula promptly called for the two guards that had held Mai before and commanded them to lock her in a cell on board one of the airships that she had ordered to tail her here, currently hidden in the thick steam that originated from the crater of water--warmed by lava under the earth's surface-- around the Boiling Rock prison._

_A fleet of half a dozen of the crafts waited above, prepared to follow her orders to the letter; Azula always planned five steps ahead./_

To the shock of both Ty Lee and the soldiers manning five of the mentioned aircrafts, Azula did not order Zuko and his fellow escapees to be executed, their heads skewered on spits and kept in the prison yard as an example of what happened to those who tried to escape.

No, she ordered them home --back to the Fire Nation-- while Azula herself remained high above the Boiling Rock.

Currently, Azula stood on a sort of circular viewing deck located on the very top of the airship, the wind tossing her bangs. Her knuckles were clenched so tightly around the metal bars surrounding the platform's circumference to prevent their fall, that they turned white. Her normally haughty, in-control persona was all but shattered by her outrage.

"Why?"

The single word was forced between teeth clenched so tightly that Ty Lee found herself wondering how the sound had escaped at all.

"That isn't Zuko's or Mai's throat, if that's why you're strangling the railing," she remarked, earning a dirty look that would have killed a normal person. Fortunately, Ty Lee didn't fall into the "normal person" category, "and your face will freeze like that if you continue to scowl."

In situations such as this one, Ty Lee always kept a light heart, more for Azula's benefit than her own. The teen heiress' mind was fragile; the constant stress of being one so young with such great power would be a huge strain on _anyone's_ mentality. Besides, she wasn't afraid of Azula... much.

_Damn it! _

This earned a deeper scowl and a defensive "I don't scowl." With a frustrated sigh, she punched the air, rending it with a bolt of blue.

The Fire Nation princess had her moments when she seemed truly inhuman, but Ty Lee knew the real Azula; the one that cared for her friends, golden eyes filled with something remarkably close to warmth and affection. The one that wasn't war obsessed- stopping her tirade only when exhaustion forced her eyes shut.

And so did Mai.

"Why the Hell would Mai betray m-us like that?! Her country, her family... everyone!"

_Damn it all!_

Another bolt fizzed across the sky.

Ty Lee caught the slip-up and charcoal eyes, set in a round, trusting face softened, "I don't think this is about her betraying her people. I think-"

_And damn you for seeing through me so easily!_

"I did not ask you what you thought!" Azula retorted, instantly retreating behind what Ty Lee referred to as her 'I'm-a-princess-and-thus-mightier-than-thou' look. It was impossible for even the young acrobat to tell what she was thinking in such instances, despite how good she was at reading people.

Their eyes met and Ty Lee knew it was time to take her leave. With a quick bow to the tyrant she dared call friend, she pried open the hatch leading into the ship and climbed down a few rungs, pulling it shut behind her. Then, ignoring the ladder, she leaped down, landing with a gentle 'thump' . If she knew Azula as well as she thought she did, the Fire Nation princess would be out there for quite a bit longer.

**One hour later...**

Ty Lee pushed open the metal hatch she had entered before and stuck her head out.

When she found Azula missing, the young woman sighed and closed it down. She moved down a narrow corridor that veered sharply to the left, leading into the control room for the aircraft. Normally packed with six or seven soldiers navigating, steering and keeping an eye on the status of the ship both inside and out, it was now empty; Azula had ordered _everyone_ home.

Everyone except Ty Lee. That meant something, right?

The pink-clad girl climbed up another ladder located nearest to the helm, this one labeled 'emergency exit' starting from the control room floor and leading up, up, up about forty feet. The hatch was harder to open, but she prevailed, only to duck back inside as lightning arced quite close to her face.

Cautiously, she peered out again: Azula was going through martial arts forms, each kick and punch discharging electricity. Her profile, dark against the setting sun, was breathtaking and Ty Lee let out an appreciative sigh.

Azula didn't seem to fear the danger of falling to her death as she suddenly raced across the aircraft's metal hull towards the girl, her foot lashing out in a powerful roundhouse.

Ty Lee jumped, preforming a back flip to dodge both the kick and the punch that followed. She straightened, opening her mouth to say something. Once again, she ducked, rolling away neatly to avoid lightning.

"Fight back!" Azula snapped, wanting to work out her frustrations with a quick tussle. But it was obvious she had been at it for a while now, her chest heaving even as she moved with the grace a of a tiger. A dangerous, lightning wielding tiger.

Letting off energy like this couldn't be beneficial to her health. Besides, Ty Lee didn't really feel like acting as a punching bag at the moment.

The former circus girl shook her head, catching a fist as it flew towards her face, "Azula-"

_'CRACK'_

She probably should have expected that left fist following the right...

Knowing she wasn't going to get results otherwise, Ty Lee kicked Azula's legs from underneath her and was immediately perched on her back, tapping two points that halted the flow of qi that supplied Azula's Bending. She sat on the back older girl's knees to prevent any kicking, one hand tightly gripping the fire Bender's wrists while the other rubbed her sore jaw. Face down under the girl's weight, slight though it was, Azula found she was trapped.

"You have five seconds to return me to normal before I see that you never enjoy the sight of daylight ever again," the Fire Nation princess threatened.

To her shock, Ty Lee didn't seem to register her words, "Remember our vacation at Ember Island? How you said you were jealous of all the attention I was getting?"

Azula bristled, attempting to throw the acrobat off, but failing miserably, "Let. Me. GO!"

"Well, I'm jealous of you too," Ty Lee continued, her grip on Azula's wrists tightening.

Azula stopped struggling for a moment, turning her head so that she could see the younger girl over her shoulder.

"What?"

"You're beautiful, smart, talented-You've got _power_, Azula! You just don't know how to use it to get what you really want."

"I want the Avatar-"

The acrobat made a dismissive sound in the back of her throat, "Here goes your 'capture the Avatar!' speech. Really, Azula, how dumb do you think I am? Had you really wanted to kill him, you could have done it one hundred times over."

Azula was silent and she took this as an invitation to continue.

"Every plan you ever hatched had a single flaw, so small that only someone desperate could find it. In other words, the Avatar. Notice how everything that doesn't have to do with the Avatar works out without a hitch? No matter how many times Mai and I fail, you don't execute us or anything, you just let off a whole lot of hot air and empty threats-"

"-I'll show you-"

"-AND," the young woman continued, raising her voice so that it drowned out Azula's, "Even when you get a chance to replace us with someone more suited for the job --the Dai Li for example-- you stick with us."

"So what's your point?" Now she sounded weary.

"We mean more to you than you choose to let on. More than even _you_ seem to realize," Ty Lee said simply, "and once you come to terms with just how _much_ we mean to you and in what way, you'll feel loads better."

_If you've fallen for me as hard as I have for you... _Ty Lee shook her head, dislodging the thought before it could take root. _No. Best to wait and see. Is this friendship or something more?_

Rising to her feet in a single, fluid motion, Ty Lee padded towards the hatch leading inside, leaving the shocked Fire Nation princess in her wake.

"You think about that. I'm going to visit Mai," she tossed over her shoulder.

0.o.0.o.0

The brig was sandwiched between the control room and the bunks for soldiers; the former was above it and the latter below it. This layout ensured that any attempt at escaping would more than likely be thwarted. Then again, if you consider it, there wasn't anywhere to go should a prisoner escape, it was an _air_craft, after all. Nope, there wasn't any way to escape unless one had a flying bison or something...

There were ten cells in total, two for a single prisoner and eight others that could hold about five adults without being too crowded. Torches were mounted periodically along the passages that lead between each cell, casting long shadows that danced across the cold, metal floor.

Ty Lee's bare feet made no sound on as she padded towards the single-person cells, the chill not affecting her. She stopped in front of Mai's cell.

The young woman was leaning on the wall opposite to the barred cell door, her head tilted forward, eyes closed. She looked up at Ty Lee through said bars, gold-toned eyes seeming to glow in the low torchlight.

Gold. It was the colour of Azula's eyes, only Mai's were a bit richer- more of a wolfish shade. Azula's were more like a cat's.

"What are you doing here?"

Mai didn't seem surprised to see Ty Lee. Then again, she never _seemed _surprised about anything.

"I was worried."

"Humph. You didn't hit me very hard and the effects wore off within a few moments, as you knew it would," Mai sighed, "The only reason I haven't broken out of here is because I'm waiting to see what our princess will do."

Ty Lee flushed slightly at being seen through so easily, "I'm not worried about you. It's Azula."

At the name, Mai almost looked angry. Just as quickly, she was calm, shrugging her red-clad shoulders, "Where is her 'royal highness' at the moment? I can't believe she'd let you down here to see me without a platoon of soldiers."

"Actually, all of the soldiers in this ship are gone. The other five ships went home under orders from Azula."

If she hadn't been accustomed to Mai's lack of expression, Ty Lee would have passed off the infinitesimal widening of her eyes as a blink, or something close to it, "... So what's going to happen now?"

"I don't know. I stopped her qi flow and left her on the-"

"You what!?" Mai's voice only raised a single decibel over her normal deadpan, but it was enough to make Ty Lee flinch, "what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that maybe you hurt Azula's feelings."

"Humph. She has no feelings."

"Not true," Ty Lee sounded hurt, "She does! She just... has a hard time expressing them!"

"That's what they say to excuse spoiled children." Mai sighed again, this one tired.

Ty Lee couldn't find anything to say against this. She closed her eyes and, at last whispered, "Azula isn't as bad as you think she is, Mai. You'll see."

0.o.0.o.0

_I'm going to kill her. No, wait, I'll torture her first!_

Azula was still in the exact spot where Ty Lee had left her, legs crossed indian-style as she closed her eyes and grit her teeth. Threats weren't something new to the Fire Nation princess. What _was_ new was the lack of any conviction behind them. Sure, she was angry, but she didn't really want to harm Ty Lee in any way.

_'You're going soft, Azula.' _A little voice in her head muttered, '_Embarrassing.'_

_I am not!_

_'Ha! A month ago, you would have slaughtered that circus freak in an instant, Bending or no. Now look at you: actually mulling over her words.'_

The sky was darkening now as evening set in, the sun slowly sinking out of sight. The wind was getting cooler and the atmosphere got steadily thicker as stars blinked to life. Azula hardly noticed, her mind elsewhere: _What is it about those two that make them so hard to hate?_

Maybe it was Ty Lee's unbelievable innocence? The way her wide smile reached her charcoal eyes and lit up her entire face? Or maybe it was the effortless way she just made you _want _to like her. She was talented as well. And, when they were younger, Azula had been jealous of the younger girl's flexibility. Now, she felt only a strange sort of pride.

As for Mai, those dark, golden eyes that were so much like Azula's and yet, so different. It was amazing how depth-less they seemed, showing the emotion that her stoic countenance refused to. How impossibly smooth her porcelain skin was or how dark her silky raven tresses were. Not to mention how skilled she was with knives...

What was there _not_ to like?

It was confusing to say the least: what were her feelings? She enjoyed their presence, yet loathed it because it had become something she craved. She had long since stopped requesting that they refer to her by her title, because she had begun to think of them of her equals and a strange sort of respect for the two had developed; could this be called love? Or was it lust?

Azula knew she was blessed to be able to call the two beautiful teens her friends, but something kept her from treating them as such or even acknowledging the fact.

It was her biggest fear:

Betrayal.

It was bound to happen someday- I mean, look at the Dai Li! They had eagerly fled to their new master upon seeing how much power she had... what would prevent Mai and Ty Lee or anyone at all from doing the same? Loyalty could be so easily bought and lost twice as quickly, Azula knew from experience.

No matter how much you thought you could trust the person, it meant nothing, nada, zilch, _zero. _No matter how much you loved someone, they would betray you one way or another.

**--End Chapter--**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer- I do not own Avatar- the Last Airbender, just this fic made for the entertainment of my readers and myself. Please do not post it anywhere without my consent.

Edit- It has just occured to me after reading over my work that Mai is oldest. I fixed it...

**--A Traitor's Reward--**

The ship was moving now. Ty Lee could tell from the way her hammock gave a sudden lurch and deposited her on the floor in a heap. Sleepily, Ty Lee stretched her arms towards the ceiling, feeling the tug on the muscles in her shoulders. She then rubbed the sleep from her eyes and padded out of the barracks, intent on finding Azula. She was slightly surprised that the heiress hadn't come to yell at her while she had been sleeping.

Naturally, she was in the control room, her back to the acrobat as she gazed out of the windshield. Even if she had not been able to read chi, Ty Lee would have been able to tell by the rigidness of her shoulders that the young woman was still miffed. She had taken off the mantle-like part of her 'casual' Fire Nation garb that possessed a stiff collar and the gloves that covered from her palms to her elbows.

The heiress was deep in thought, _How do I feel about Ty Lee and Mai? These... feelings I get around them aren't strictly platonic. It's alarming how easily Ty Lee manages to see through me like that..._

_'Well, it seems someone is in a bind. Maybe you should just lock them away? It would be easier than having to deal with this headache.'_

_I couldn't do that._

_'And why not?'_

An idea hit the girl and she grinned. Creeping forward so that her bare feet made no sound, she placed a hand on each of the Fire Nation princess' shoulders.

_Because I-_

The woman let out a startled gasp as Ty Lee began to knead her shoulders, applying pressure to work out knots of tension. "Ty Lee?! What are you doing?!"

"Relax, Azula," the girl hushed, hands drifting to the apex where her neck and shoulders met, "You've been really stressed lately and I thought I'd help you out." When she wasn't met with any resistance, her kneading turned into gentle yet firm caresses. Her hands fanned out, defining the rounded shape of the older girl's shoulders and shoulder blades, before returning to their previous post.

Azula was stiff as a board for a moment, then she relaxed. Her job was stressful- she _deserved _a massage.

"Mmm..."

The small sound of satisfaction made Ty Lee smile and she began to work in earnest. Azula's qi was once again flowing, allowing her Bending, but that was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. All that mattered was the small hands easing the tension from her upper-back. All at once, Azula couldn't remember why she was so annoyed with the acrobat.

"Do you mind if I take these off ?" Ty Lee asked, tugging the articles in question. She was wearing two: the long sleeved, peach coloured one, and the blood red toga-like one worn on top of it, as was the style of Fire Nation clothing.

"... Huh?"

"The massage will feel _much_ better if I do," Ty Lee encouraged.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, a little voice reminded Azula that she should be furious at this girl- not melting like butter in her hands-that she, the Fire Nation _princess,_ should not be allowing such intimate contact between herself and a person of a lesser rank, but she pushed it aside and nodded in affirmation.

Despite receiving a 'go ahead', Ty Lee continued to speak in a gentle tone, drawing Azula's attention away from what her hands were doing, "You should really relax, Azula. All this stress isn't good for you."

Azula opened her mouth to retort that she was the next-to-be Fire lord, and couldn't afford to shirk off her duties, but nimble fingers were undoing the buttons that held the straps of her red top together. With an almost inaudible whisper, it fell in a pile around her booted feet.

_'Stop this immediately!'_

_I don't see the problem, it's just a massage-_

_'Just a massage!? This commoner is touching you in ways inappropriate for anyone that isn't of royal blood!'_

As if to prove Azula's inner voice right, Ty Lee's hands were sliding under the long-sleeved shirt, stroking the soft skin of her abdomen. Azula shuddered at the contact.

"Where exactly are you taking us?" Ty Lee asked. With her eyes, she located the little red light that blipped near the navigators station, indicating that the route had already been determined.

The princess didn't answer, so Ty Lee tried something else, "Do you plan on apologizing to Mai?"

Wrong question.

The sudden defiant flare in Azula's chi--it had been calming throughout the massage-- made the acrobat flinch.

"I apologize to _no one_. If anything, it should be Mai who apologizes for her treasonous behavior and _begs _for my forgiveness!"

_'You see? Give her a little head way and the circus freak oversteps her boundaries.'_

_Yes, but you hurt her feelings first... _Knowing Azula would revert back to her pissed-as-hell attitude if she voiced her thoughts, Ty Lee leaned forward a bit, embracing the older teen around her waist in an effort to placate her, "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

Gradually, the tension left the Fire Nation Princess' frame and Ty Lee released her. Deciding to prolong the removal of her friend's shirt, the acrobat moved back upwards. Lightly clasping her fingers together, she worked from the base of Azula's neck to the edge of her skull and back by sliding the heels of her hands in a continuous upward moving rotation.

This brought a sound dangerously close to a moan from the Firebender.

Encouraged, Ty Lee's nimble hands went down to the hem of her shirt and tugged upwards. Without hesitation, Azula raised her hands over her head so that the article could be removed. In the process, the gold, flame-shaped pin that held Azula's hair up in a topknot that was customary for Fire Nation royalty was pulled loose, allowing her hair --it smelled faintly of jasmine, Ty Lee noted-- to fall over her shoulders in waves of dark brown.

Unable to help herself, Ty Lee went around to the side of Azula so that she could see her friend from the front.

_Whoa. And she's jealous of me!?_

Months of chasing the Avatar had flattened and toned her stomach and arms while, at the same time, allowing her obvious femininity; her bra was red -a big surprise, that one- cupping breasts that were either a high B-cup or a low C-cup.

In other words, Azula was _hot. _Ty Lee swallowed, resisting the urge to jump the older girl right here and now.

Noticing the amazed look Ty Lee was giving her, Azula self-consciously crossed her arms over her chest, "Is there a problem?" The edge on her voice was created by discomfort, Ty Lee knew and she stifled a giggle.

"No, not at all." She gave a low bow, "Would you like to go somewhere more suited for this, your highness?"

**Moments later...**

The captain's quarters were located on the same floor as the control room.

Naturally, it was more lavishly decorated than the barracks. A four poster bed surrounded by a translucent red curtain sat in one corner and, above it, hung a Fire Nation flag, the symbol of their people painted in gold in the center; beside the bed was a mahogany vanity and wardrobe. On each of the walls on either side of the flag were tapestries depicting fearsome dragons, one blue and one red, each breathing fire at their Firebending adversary. There were a pile of cushions clad in rich, red silk with gold tassels piled before a fireplace, in which a fire crackled gaily, red-orange flames licking at the air and reflecting off of the steel walls.

The room was obviously made for comfort.

Bearing that in mind, Ty Lee lead Azula over to the cushions, arranging them so that the princess would be comfortable. Once she was situated face down among the pillows, Ty Lee's actions resumed.

Placing both of her hands, fingers pointing toward Azula's head, on each side of her spine on her lower back, she steadily glided her hands up alongside the older girl's spine to give the long muscles on each side a good stretch. When she came to the back of Azula's bra, she didn't give the teen a chance to guess her intentions as she undid the clasp.

The instant stiffening of her spine said that she had indeed noticed, as Ty lee nudged the straps to hang loosely on her shoulders. In a continuous movement, she drew her hands out over the princess' shoulders to the top of her arms, then pulled them firmly back down along the sides of her rib cage, all the way back down to her lower back, before repeating the action.

This time, the sound was most definitely a moan and Ty Lee grinned from ear to ear as she rose and went over to the vanity. Behind her came a sound of protest and Azula raised herself onto her forearms, "Where do you think you're going?"

Her voice, which always had a sensual edge to it, was a bit huskier than usual, making Ty Lee shudder, "Hold on..." She opened the drawer to the vanity, catching sight of Azula in the mirror as the older girl completely removed her bra and tossed it to the side. Her throat suddenly dry, Ty Lee returned to the task at hand, locating a small bottle of scented oil and closing the drawer with a sharp sound.

With a deep breath, her qi pooled into her hands, but rather than create flames, she used the heat to warm the oil, making the smell of sandalwood and jasmine that much more poignant. The acrobat preferred to use her mastery of chi reading and pressure points to fight, rather than rely on Bending. She didn't see it as a crutch, in all truth, but she hated to expend energy in that manner and didn't really see the sense in it. Besides, it was annoying how many people assumed you were going to slaughter them, then their family, _then _burn everything else to ashes, simply because you could Firebend.

C'mon, not all Firebenders were vicious, cold-hearted killers!

Returning to Azula's side, Ty Lee knelt and opened the bottle to pour some into her left hand. Carefully placing the glass object out of harms way, the acrobat rubbed her hands together, coating them both with the warm, slippery substance.

She smoothed them over Azula's shoulders and was met with a grateful sigh as the heat freed the older teen's muscles even further.

"Why didn't you do this _much_ earlier?" her voice was muffled by the pillows, "this feels wonderful..."

Ty Lee didn't respond, her attention on covering Azula's entire back. Once she was finished, she prodded the heiress' side and told her to flip over. Had she not been as relaxed as she was, the Fire Nation princess might have protested. As it was, she did as she was asked without question, exposing her bared flesh to her friend.

_'What are you doing?!'_

_Oh, shut up._

To hide her sudden blush, Ty Lee turned to get more oil. She wasn't so sure how far she was going to go with this, but a slow, insistent throbbing had started between her thighs.

The acrobat's hands on her ribs created a tickling sensation that made goosebumps raise along her arms, as did the slow circuit around her navel with an index finger.

Smirking, Ty Lee noted that the princess' peach-toned nipples were stiffening. She dared to smooth a hand against the underside of the older girl's breast, earning a soft whimper.

Azula's eyes squeezed shut as those talented hands followed the curve of her right breast and skirted up the valley between them. That same hand cupped her cheek and stayed there.

When she opened her eyes, Ty Lee's face was alarmingly close, a question in her charcoal eyes.

_'Azula!' _A little red flag went off in her head, but she was too relaxed to acknowledge it, much less heed it. Instead, she nodded slightly.

And, gently, their lips met.

The acrobat's lips were warm and soft against Azula's and she found herself wondering why she hadn't done this before. She licked at the seam of Ty Lee's lips, loving the almost sweet taste as the parted to allow her entry. Then, Ty Lee's tongue slid into her mouth, stroking against her own in a gentle caress.

Heaven.

**--End Chapter--**

A/N: Though Ty Lee is a Firebender, I've never actually seen her bend, so I'm assuming that she can and just... doesn't. I'm wondering whether I should have Mai join them? Please review and let me know what you think : Oh, almost forgot: thanks go to **Benevolent Destruction** for reading and approving!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer- I do not own Avatar- the Last Airbender, just this fic made for the entertainment of my readers and myself. Please do not post it anywhere without my consent.

_**/**Flashback/_

**--A Traitor's Reward--**

_I'm bored... _An impatient sigh escaped the hidden weapon expert.

Earlier, there had been the clicking of Fire Nation boots moving across the floor above, but now, the sound had ceased completely. The sounds could have only be made by Azula, because she insisted on wearing the pointy toed footwear; Ty Lee preferred to go barefoot or wore cloth shoes.

_Azula... What exactly is going on in that brain of yours? _As always, boredom lifted whenever Mai thought about the vicious Fire Nation princess. The younger teen was a mystery, a puzzle just waiting to be solved- an enigma. No matter how close Mai thought she was to figuring Azula out or how often she thought she had pegged the princess' thoughts perfectly, Azula managed to surprise her. Basically, Azula brought excitement to her otherwise tedious life.

Absentmindedly, she began to remove various knives from her person, tossing them aside with a gentle clatter that she barely heard, focused as she was on her thoughts.

_/"Azula, are you sure you want to do this?" _

_Fire Lord Ozai had commanded Azula to drag Zuko home so that they could execute him in the royal court. They were standing on the catwalk that hung below Azula's personal airship, waiting for it to take off for the Boiling Rock. The princess turned and sneered, "Why? Do you think I can't accomplish this simple task?" In truth, she was indeed doubtful about her task. She would rather die than admit it, but she did love ZuZu._

_As much as she wanted to just walk away from the other girl for acting like a bitch, Mai simply said, "No, I think you don't want to do this. You love Zuko as much as I do."_

_Azula's face was unreadable for a moment, then she spat, "If you love him so much, why don't you go rescue his sorry ass?! I intend to do as father commanded, with or without your help."-she turned away, crossing her arms over her chest-"You're disposable at best."_

_She hadn't meant it in the way Azula took it; her childhood crush on the Fire Nation prince had been just that: a_ childhood _crush_. _Part of her, however was tired of Azula being daddy's little Hell spawn and treating herself and Ty Lee like garbage. The young acrobat had insisted that the Fire Nation princess did indeed have a heart, but that was yet to be seen._

_That was why, out of pure spite(and concern for Zuko), Mai decided to do just that./_

The hidden weapons mistress was just as aware of Azula's 'good' side as Ty Lee was, though she had given up on trying to draw it out.

Truthfully, the comment about her being 'disposable' had stung and she had said "I love Zuko more than I fear you", because she knew it would hit Azula where it hurt- despite the earlier insistence that the older girl had no feelings. She loved Zuko like a brother, nothing more; how could Azula be so blind? Now look where it had gotten her...

I mean, sure, she was of royal blood as well, but she couldn't hold a candle to the authority of the Fire Lord's daughter.

As the last dagger fell to the floor, Mai sighed again and rose from the futon, a stiletto(1) sliding between her index and middle fingers. The teen went over to the barred door and slid her hand between them, feeling for the key hole. Sliding the slim blade into it, she flicked her wrist and it unlocked with a 'click'.

_I've had enough waiting._

Pushing the door open, Mai followed the trail of torches to a flight of stairs. She took them two at a time and paused in the corridor that snaked between the captain's quarters and the control room.

_Is that... moaning?_

Mai took a left, pushing open the door she came to. It creaked slightly- not that the room's occupants would have noticed.

_Holy. Shit._

On a pile of pillows, Azula and Ty Lee were playing tonsil hockey.

The acrobat was half on top of the princess, her hands braced on either side of Azula's head. Azula herself was on her back, her torso raised a bit to better return her friend's kiss. Both party's eyes were closed.

The normally stoic teen's jaw actually went slack.

As though sensing her presence, Ty Lee's eyes opened. To Mai's surprise, she winked, and raised a hand to motion her over. When she blanched, the acrobat broke off the kiss, panting in her attempt to recapture air. Azula was in the same condition.

"Well, look who's here," Ty Lee beamed.

The moment Azula tilted her head to the side and caught sight of Mai, she did a wonderful impersonation of a tomato and was on her feet in an instant, hands fisted in front of her, feet spread slightly, "What the Hell are you doing out of your cell?" she snarled.

The intimidating effect that she was trying to create was ruined by the fact that she was still shirt-less. In fact, Mai found her eyes drawn to her breasts as they rose and fell with each ragged breath.

"What are you looking a-"

"Now, now, Azula," Ty Lee interrupted, slinging her arms around the older teen's slim waist, "You were so relaxed before! C'mon, lay back down and we can pick up from where we left off." Her tone was suggestive, and Azula relented slightly, her hands lowering.

"Terribly sorry if I'm interrupting anything," Mai said, though it was clear that she wasn't. She padded forward, body growing hotter, her eyelids lowering as her mind traveled. _However the heck you managed to do this, Ty Lee, I'm actually amazed. _

"Not at all," Ty Lee assured her before Azula could say anything, "In fact, you could help us out."

0.o.0.o.0

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN AZULA DIDN'T RETURN WITH YOU?!"

The poor soldier's knees would have given out had he not already been as close to the floor as possible. He cringed before the platform upon which the Fire Lord sat, flames dancing on either side of it, making the room almost unbearably hot. The soldier swallowed and forced his voice to remain even, "Lord Ozai, she insisted that we return without her. Mai committed treason and I believe she remained to punish her."

This seemed to calm the man, "I see. When will she be returning?"

Again, the unfortunate soldier flinched, "S-she didn't say. But Ty Lee is with her so she should be safe-"

Ozai's expression became cold, "Leave my sight at once."

Bowing low the entire way out, the soldier did so gladly.

_That circus girl is with her... I hate being unable to trust my own flesh and blood, but Azula cares for those girls far too much. _Ozai rose and called a servant to his side, demanding that a bath be drawn immediately. He could only hope that his daughter was acting in a manner befitting of her royal blood.

0.o.0.o.0

Azula didn't know how it happened, but suddenly, she was lying on her back with Ty Lee's tongue down her throat and Mai completing the task of undressing her. She couldn't even formulate any form of protest -- not that she would have-- much less voice one as slim fingers tugged off her boots and pulled down her baggy pants.

While Ty Lee began lavishing kisses on the side of the princess' throat, Mai was busily removing her underwear. When a tentative finger traced the length of her slit, Azula bucked her hips, breaking away from the acrobat in favor of gulping down air.

_Why on Earth was I so angry a moment ago?_

She almost missed Ty Lee's question as the girl whispered so that Mai couldn't hear her words, "So, _are_ you going to apologize?"

Apologize.

If anything, the word tore at the Fire Nation princess' pride, but she didn't blow up this time. A plan formed in her mind; a way to say sorry without saying the actual words. As a shudder ran the length of her body --courtesy of Mai's fingers skimming over her inner thigh-- Azula nodded, meeting charcoal eyes.

Ty lee looked delighted and, at once, her lithe body was off of Azula's, only to catapult into Mai, knocking her over and drawing an uncharacteristic yelp from the stoic teen's throat. She produced a silk scarf and promptly tied Mai's hands together.

"Ty Lee!"

Azula rose a bit unsteadily and Mai's eyes were instantly drawn in her direction, wondering what the two were plotting. When the princess smirked, it wasn't her usual haughty 'better-than-thou' smirk, it was the smirk of a predator that had just discovered that it's prey was a sitting duck.

Mai shuddered, though not from fear.

Azula's eyes had darkened considerably, wordlessly conveying the lust that the teen felt just as well as the natural response between her thighs did. She bent over Mai and scooped the older girl up with a slight grunt of effort, carrying her bridal style, another shudder running the length of her body as a result of feeling all that nubile flesh pressed against her. Three steps later, the captive teen was placed at the head of Azula's bed, her back against the wrought iron head-board.

The instinctual part of her mind told her to burn through the flimsy material that bound her and get the Hell out of here. The other, the more inquisitive part of Mai, argued that Ty Lee would never let the Fire Nation princess harm her; she was already pretty sure harm wasn't on the second oldest girl's mind.

Curiosity won out.

Leaning back to make herself comfortable, Mai watched with interest as, at the foot of the bed, Azula began to undress Ty Lee, starting with her shirt.

As the article was tugged upwards, it revealed a flat stomach, then pale, perfect orbs clad in white cotton before it was totally removed and tossed aside to be retrieved at a later time. Neither girl seemed to remember Mai as Azula cupped Ty Lee's breasts through the cloth, practically purring as she found that they were more than a handful.

The clasps of Ty Lee's brassier were soon undone and the straps slid off of slim shoulders before the garment joined her shirt. The acrobat's head fell back as Azula once again cupped her breasts, gently massaging the twin mounds.

Placing a quick kiss on both rose coloured nipples, Azula stooped, pulling the pink cloth pants down slim legs, quickly followed by similarly coloured underwear. She couldn't help but pause and admire the sight of Ty Lee's sex; a triangle of chocolate curls already glistening with moisture.

Both stunning teens now stood naked before Mai, who suddenly felt very overdressed. The slow burn that had started in her stomach drifted a bit lower and ignited into a full flame.

"Hey, Mai, like what you see?" Ty Lee giggled, posing shamelessly.

Mai swallowed a whimper by sheer will power alone as Ty Lee sauntered over, hips swaying enticingly until she came to stand at the oldest girl's side. Nimble fingers undid the buttons of the black garment that Mai wore over her red tunic and pants. It was sort of like a dress, with a slit up the front up to her waist so that it did not hinder movement.

Suddenly, Ty Lee giggled, coming to a problem, "Uh, Azula? This won't come off unless we untie her hands."

'This' was the red tunic that the weapon's expert wore; the sleeves provided perfect cover for throwing daggers, knives, stilettos and an occasional shuriken as well as the spring loaded holsters that housed said stilettos. _You left the rest of your arsenal in a small pile back in the cell_, she remembered.

Azula, still standing at the foot of the bed, padded over and slid a hand up Mai's sleeve, leaving a little trail of heat where her fingers grazed flesh. There was the sharp sound of steel on steel and a knife shot out, embedding itself in one of the posts at the bottom of the bed. Calmly reaching over, Azula dislodged the weapon.

Apprehension made Mai's heart skip a beat and she reflexively leaned away as Azula turned to face her, face carefully blank.

"Azu-"

_Rrrrrriiippp!_

With a steady hand, the princess had managed to cut her shirt in half. She then sliced open the tops of her long sleeves so that the scraps of Mai's tunic fell to the bed to be brushed aside by Ty Lee. Mai's bra --black lace, she groaned-- received the same treatment as did the dress-like over shirt.

"Problem solved." Azula's voice could have been described as smug if there wasn't a huskiness to it. Then, the holsters were removed, carefully lowered to the ground to avoid any accidental weapon launching.

For the time being, her pants were forgotten as Azula and Ty Lee crawled onto the bed and settled on either side of her. A blush actually tinted Mai's cheeks as light pink nipples became erect with her arousal. She couldn't help but compare her body with Ty Lee's; the circus girl was curvaceous and more so than Mai... who was older.

It was Azula who moved first, pink tongue slipping out and circling just around a nipple before drawing it fully into her mouth, prompting a soft moan from Mai. Goosebumps rose along her flesh, following the path of the Fire Nation princess' fingertips as they traced down her arm to stop at her elbow. Her heartbeat sped at the contact and Mai was sure Azula would be able to feel it as it thudded against the inside of her chest.

Not to be outdone, Ty Lee kissed a path around the nipple of Mai's left breast before flicking her tongue over the pebbled flesh. She didn't take Mai into her mouth, however, instead kissing a path up the valley between the older teen's breasts and pressing her soft lips against her friends'; her warm flesh pressed against Mai's side in the process.

Mai's next moan --caused by Azula's attention to her neglected left breast, no doubt-- was muffled as Ty Lee's tongue slid across her teeth and the roof of her mouth, then pressed against her own, demanding a passionate dance.

Ty Lee tasted... sweet, for lack of a better word; she was practically addictive, the long drugging strokes from her tongue wiping Mai's mind of any coherent thoughts _almost_ as well as Azula's attention to her twin mounds did.

Now the fingertips jumped from her elbow to her thigh, curving under her ass and giving it a gentle squeeze. Her muscles clenched in response, provoking a heated rush down below.

She tried to move her hands, the idea of just setting the material that stopped her from doing so ablaze entering her mind, but Azula paused, gave her a quelling look and threatened, "You untie your hands and we stop."

When Ty Lee made a muffled sound of agreement against her lips, Mai forced her body to relax.

Well, as much as possible, anyway. Azula had moved her attention lower, torturously licking and nipping her way down Mai's abdomen while Ty Lee moved her hands to compensate for the lack of stimulation to her breasts.

A trail of kisses followed the curve of Mai's jaw and down her throat, a nip placed here and there making her groan- it seemed Ty Lee knew _all_ of her sensitive spots. This was further proven by the warm suction created at the hollow of her throat, causing her to tilt her head to give the acrobat better access. Then, a warm wetness slid across her collarbone, just as Azula tongued the spot just over her belly button.

Pressure was building up in the oldest teen's stomach, a little ball that was curling tighter and tighter. At this rate, an explosion was imminent.

Her pants were easily disposed of, revealing panties that matched the bra she had been wearing. The front was already soaked. When Azula's hand cupped Mai's sex through the thin fabric, she couldn't hold back a cry that was an equal mix of surprise and passion.

It had just been a gentle contact, but her body immediately craved more- and fast. It was on fire, every caress, lick, nip and kiss serving as fuel. There was only one way to douse them and Azula and Ty Lee had better hurry before she lost her mind.

A hand slipped into her underwear and traced the length of her slit. "Wow, Mai, who would have thought you shaved," came Azula's voice, nonchalant. Whatever retort the raven-haired weapon's mistress had was effectively silenced as the action was repeated, this time a bit slower. Her hips bucked to make the brief contact last a bit longer, but Azula's hand was already gone. "And so wet already!"

Gold eyes met charcoal for a moment and some unspoken command seemed to pass between the youngest and middle girl. Ty Lee straightened --much to Mai's disappointment-- and righted the older teen, pulling her between her parted knees until soft breasts pressed into her back. She made sure that Mai couldn't reach her, squeezing the bound appendages with her own as a warning.

Azula slid both hands up her knees and the insides of her thighs --each hand on a corresponding thigh-- parting them without any resistance. Then, she stopped, met Mai's gaze squarely and asked, "May I?" Her tone was... cautious- submissive, even.

From behind her, Ty Lee's arms wrapped around her and the nipple tweaking had resumed, but Mai didn't even notice due to the gravity of the moment; the princess of the freaking Fire Nation was crouched on her knees asking if she could do something so sinful, so (supposedly) below her rank _to _someone that was actually below her rank-

_Hot damn..._

-Actually brought a small smile to the oldest girl's lips. Or it would of, had she been in the mood for smiling. Right now, there was only one thing she wanted.

"_Please_," said a husky voice, so low that, for a moment, Mai just blinked before realizing it was hers.

A smile --an actual honest-to-goodness smile-- graced Azula's lips as she peeled off the drenched cloth, sliding it down Mai's legs and tossing it aside, keeping eye contact the entire time. She returned to her post and paused for a moment to take in the musky smell. Slowly-

In a quick motion, Ty Lee undid the scarf on Mai's wrists

- her tongue flicked out and licked from slit to clit, purposely avoiding the little bundle of nerves.

The effect was immediate; the raven-haired teen's newly freed hands entangled themselves in the princess' hair and pressed down, wordlessly asking her not to stop.

Not that she had any intention of doing so.

Azula found that she enjoyed the taste that was uniquely Mai and used her tongue to the best of her ability, thrusting it as deep as it could go before lapping at Mai's inner walls, thus producing more of the sticky substance as well as loud moans from overhead, stifled sometimes by Ty Lee's mouth.

The hidden weapon's mistress had squeezed her eyes shut, indescribable pleasure ravishing her body and leaving her too weak to do anything but hold on to Azula's hair as a slippery, hot object slipped between her folds. She was forced to break away from Ty Lee to release an especially loud whimper as Azula's questing tongue just _barely _grazed the spot that she wanted- no, _needed_- to be touched most, her thighs clamping down in an effort to keep the younger teen there. She was dancing and writhing on the tip of the princess' tongue, hips moving with the purpose of bringing contact where she wanted _now._

She was ignored.

If Mai had thought Azula to be cruel before, now the princess was downright _evil_, licking and slurping any area besides her clit, keeping Mai just on the edge of oblivion.

"A(gasp)-zula, please!" she managed between moans of ecstasy.

"Azula..." came Ty Lee's voice next to her ear, just as the girls tongue licked over it's shell, "C'mon, she said please."

To Mai's horror, Azula stopped her ministrations and sat up. The horror melted away into relief as two of the girl's fingers replaced her tongue, plunging into her up to the third knuckle before pulling out and repeating. At once, her hips took on their steady rhythm, and a strangled scream was ripped from her throat as a third finger was added into her heated channel.

Vaguely, she was aware that Ty Lee and Azula were talking, but as long as Azula didn't stop-

It was then that Azula decided to be benevolent, carefully wrapping her lips around the bundle of nerves and creating a warm suction with her mouth.

And that was all that it took. The building pressure in her loins was exploding in the best of ways.

Mai's mind went blank just as her body went taut, electricity coursing from synapse to synapse. Her eyes rolled back into her head as her vaginal walls clenched around Azula's fingers. Arching backwards into Ty Lee, she practically _howled, _announcing her release.

For her part, the thrusting of Azula's fingers didn't stop; despite the slight pain as Mai pulled at her hair, they gradually slowed as Mai's body relaxed, drawing out her orgasm as best she could.

At last, Mai slumped, exhausted. She was lowered to the bed and immediately covered in kisses from Ty Lee, who settled beside her moments later, pulling her into a bear hug.

".. What about you guys?" She had to stifle a yawn and Ty Lee giggled.

"Nah, we're good. I'm happy as long as you're happy."

Azula just grunted- the best answer they'd get out of her in any case.

"'Happy'? I'm ecstatic." And they could tell from her voice, the normal deadpan now a happy murmur.

The weapons mistress turned and cuddled against the acrobat's well developed body as the torches around the room went out, leaving only the gentle, warming light of the fireplace. Then, the bed sank under Azula's weight.

She seemed hesitant, just sitting at it's edge for a moment. Ridiculous considering what she had just done to Mai, but understandable. The princess wasn't exactly on the best of terms with either of them and now that Mai had gotten off..

"C'mon, Azula," Ty Lee encouraged, raising her head from the pillows to look at the Fire Nation princess'.

Mai turned her head to look at the silhouette a few feet away from her. Azula seemed so... fragile- so lonely. She smiled, dispelling any doubts that the teen heiress had,"I'm not going to bite, Azula."

A defiant light --more reflex than anything-- filled the middle teen's eyes as she scootched over and wound her arms around Mai's slim waist, her hands entwining with Ty Lee's. She couldn't resist stroking the soft, firm flesh before burying her face in raven tresses that smelled faintly of apple blossoms; she hadn't noticed before in all the... 'excitement'.

They were all silent, peaceful in their embrace and the feeling of warm flesh against flesh.

Only when Ty Lee was snoring gently did Mai whisper, "Apology accepted."

Against the nape of her neck, she felt Azula's full lips turn up in a smile.

**--End Chapter--**

-phew- Well, that was my very first threesome, so any advice, tips and encouragement would be great. This fic turned out a _lot_ longer than I thought it would --you can ask **Benevolent Destruction**-- but I'm satisfied. Oh, right... thanks for harassing me into getting this done, **Benevolence**! I might do an epilogue or something to finish up... so, uh, review and stuff.

(1) Not talking about shoes here, people. A stiletto is a short knife or dagger, with a long slender blade of various designs.


	4. Epilogue

**-A Traitor's Reward-**

_Entry: Summer, 08. Noon._

_Heh, it's been a while since I've written in this thing. I'm surprised it's still here in Ba Sing Se. I left it on a whim during a visit with my parents years before, convinced that I was all grown up._

I pause and stare at the leather bound journal for a heart beat. The memory of when my mother gave it to me as a child is still pretty vivid; I had been excited at the time, but as time went on, I no longer filled it's pages with my thoughts.

But this case is special.

_In fact, the last time I did write in here was back when I had a crush on Zuko..._

I can't hold back a dry chuckle at that thought. It's funny how I fell for his _sister _of all people... I guess royalty and I are fated.

_Anyway, Azula, Ty Lee, and myself have retreated to the Earth Kingdom, as mentioned. Yet another irony- isn't that what Zuko did? It's been a week now since our departure from the Boiling Rock and things have been oddly quiet. I'm pretty sure Ozai will be looking for his daughter soon and she absolutely refused to abandon her airship, despite of how easily the damn thing could be tracked._

_Speaking of which it's really annoying whenever someone (and everyone does without fail) recognizes the famous Fire Nation princess' ship. People tend to run and hide or throw themselves at her feet, a reaction that -I now know- bothers her slightly. _

A breeze, scented subtly of tea leaves, tosses loose tendrils of my hair and I turn my face towards the window. Cooling winds like this didn't happen back home-it was much too hot. This hut that we currently reside in is located outside of the city limits. Outside, Ty Lee is turning cartwheels across the rocky mountainside with Azula in pursuit, attempting to chastising her for some crime she perpetrated.

You can tell they're messing around though, because Ty lee is laughing, the sound reminiscent of wind chimes, and Azula is smiling slightly.

_Shockingly enough, Azula seems content to just take every day as it comes, rather than forming a plan like she's known to. Ty Lee, of course, is happy to tag along and take everything in stride when necessary._

_And myself..._

I pause again, wondering what my take on our situation was. There was no rush to go anywhere out here on our own, no strict schedules, no incompetent soldiers; the absence of the loud sounds of machinery and weapons being forged is wonderful to say the least.

_There's no contest really. As long as Azula and Ty Lee are content with staying, I will do the same._

This, of course, brings on a new train of thought: what about Azula?

I was the senior, yes, but it was obvious that Azula was in charge. Would she be willing to break off all ties with the Fire Nation to be with us? And what exactly were we-Ty Lee and I-to her?

Since the acrobat was a hopeless romantic, she believed that Azula really and truly loved us.

_Love._

_What exactly is 'love'? If Ty Lee is correct, then it's (quote) :"The warm, fuzzy feeling you get whenever you're around that person. You feel happy just being around them and even happier whenever they're happy!" _

_Maybe that's true, but for someone with a more serious standpoint(or pessimistic depending on who you're asking), it's the willingness to put up with a person's flaws without asking anything in return._

_You try and hang around someone you don't care for with an annoying tendency to, let's say... talk non-stop, and see how far you get._

_I've found that, yes, you feel happy around them and yes, you get a kick out of bringing them happiness, so I suppose that means I'm in love with Azula and Ty Lee. Okay, no big deal, right?_

_I mean, there's no danger of being in love with the world's most powerful teenager. Nope, none. _

I sigh. _If this was one of those lovey-dovey romance novels, Ozai would approve of his daughter's taste in women and we'd ride off into the sunset._

_Ha!_

Suddenly, Ty Lee is beside me, her face flushed wonderfully with exertion, "What'cha doing Mai? C'mon, we're going to explore the mountains!"

I have a sudden mental image of her dressed in furs and flipping through the trees like a monkey and nearly laugh. My face remains smooth, however, a habit that would surely break if I stayed around her long enough.

"Just a sec."

She's gone just as suddenly as she had appeared and I quickly scribble:

_Then again, something tells me that nothing will be easy with Azula around. But I wouldn't have it any other way. _

Shutting the book, I rise and go outside to find Azula leaning against the wall next to the door, eyes trained on the green tinge that was the forest at the base of the mountain. She looks over at me, the gold tone lighting with a warmth that no one besides me and a certain hyperactive acrobat have ever seen, "You ready to go?"

Feeling a sudden urge to do so, I lean over and press my lips to Azula's. She goes stiff in surprise for a moment before relaxing and returning the gesture. When we separate, she eyes me curiously.

"I love you, 'Zula"

The words are out before I can even think about them, just hanging between us. Now it's too late to reclaim them. I feel that way without a doubt, but how does Azula feel?

Her eyes widen-

_'Thud'_

At this point Ty Lee decides to drop down from her perch on the roof and glomp us both. "What's the hold-up, you guys?"

Again, she's gone before anyone can react, racing off towards the trees. At a more normal pace, Azula and I follow.

After a few steps into the trees, her hand brushes, then grasps mine and squeezes. When I glance at her, she smiles, that warm affection still shining in her eyes.

She still hasn't said anything about my earlier statement, but I know she wwill eventually.

And when she was ready, I'd still be here.

**-Fin-**

Okay, the **real** conclusion to this fic! I couldn't resist doing something super-sappy... Now I need to work on the sequel to '_Loss and Gain', _a KurenaixAnko fic I wrote(hey, look, advertisement!) Please review and let me know what you think!


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